“If it were asked, why do we accept the theory of contagion, when already the divine law has refuted the notion of contagion, we will The existence of contagion has been proved by experience, deduction, the senses, observation, and by unanimous reports. And it is not a secret to whoever has looked into this matter or has come to be aware of it that those who come into contact with plague patients mostly die, while those who do not come into contact survive. And amidst the horrible afflictions that the plague has imposed upon the people, God has afflicted the people with some learned religious scholars who issue fatwas* against fleeing the plague, so that the quills with which the scholars wrote these fatwas were like swords upon which the Muslims died. In conclusion, to ignore the proofs of plague contagion is an indecency and an affront to God and holds cheap the lives of Muslims.” *rulings on Islamic law

Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib, A Very Useful Inquiry into the Horrible Sickness, Granada, Spain, 1349–1352

The passage by al-Khatib best illustrates which of the following?

The literary tradition of long-distance travelers in the Islamic world

Answer A: The literary tradition of long-distance travelers in the Islamic world
A

The growth of scientific thought and innovation in Muslim Spain

Answer B: The growth of scientific thought and innovation in Muslim Spain
B

The impact of Christian attempts to reconquer Spain from the Muslims

Answer C: The impact of Christian attempts to reconquer Spain from the Muslims
C

The efforts of Islamic missionaries to spread their faith along trade routes